To see if this custom-fit item will work for you please tell us what vehicle you'll use it with.
Cold mornings don't have to mean sluggish starts and long idles. This custom fit block heater warms the coolant so your engine fires up smooth and reaches operating temperature quicker. Hit the road faster knowing your engine is ready to work.
After your vehicle sits outside on a freezing night, starting the engine can take more effort than usual. This 400-watt Zerostart heater warms the coolant inside your engine block before you turn the key, reducing the strain of a cold start. Because your engine is already warmer when it fires up, it can also reach operating temperature sooner. It's a practical way to prepare for those winter mornings when you still need to get to work or head out on the road.
This heater uses a 28 mm threaded connection in a designated opening in your engine block. Although it's listed as frost-plug style, it screws into place rather than pressing into a core-plug hole or sliding into a dry cartridge cavity. Fit and installation location vary by engine, so check the manufacturer's instructions found after the Specs section to confirm compatibility with your vehicle and see exactly where the heater installs.
Plan on draining the coolant, removing the specified threaded plug, sealing the heater threads, and refilling the cooling system as directed. You'll also need to check for leaks and purge trapped air before applying power. The heating element must be submerged in coolant whenever the heater is plugged in.
The included 5' silicone power cord connects to a standard 120V outlet and detaches from the heater if it ever needs replacement. Route it toward an accessible spot at the front of your vehicle, securing it away from hot or moving engine parts. Phillips & Temro recommends plugging a block heater in for at least 3 to 4 hours before departure. Remember to unplug it before starting your engine.
Zerostart is a Phillips & Temro brand. You might know Phillips & Temro from factory-installed engine heaters even if the Zerostart name is unfamiliar. The company develops and tests block heaters for specific engines and supplies original-equipment applications as well as aftermarket products. It's useful to know who's behind the heater when fit is such an important part of the job.
Use a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and water. Never use straight antifreeze or a mixture containing more than 65% antifreeze, as this can cause the heating element to fail prematurely. For heaters with an O-ring, use antifreeze to lubricate the seal rather than a petroleum-based lubricant. Follow the installation instructions for proper tightening. Overtightening can damage the threads and prevent a proper seal.
Never plug in the heater before installation to see if it works. Without coolant surrounding the heating element, it can quickly overheat and cause serious burns. Instead, use a multimeter to check resistance across the heater pins while disconnected from power. The manufacturer specifies a reading between 5 and 100 ohms.
Always make sure the heating element is fully submerged in coolant before plugging it in. Unplug the heater before starting your engine. Running the engine while the heater is plugged in can create an air pocket around the element, causing it to overheat and fail prematurely.
When disconnecting the heater from your extension cord, firmly grasp each plug and pull them apart. Never yank on the cords themselves. This can damage the connections, potentially causing the heater to malfunction or creating an electrical short.
Alternate Instructions
Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Hi, everybody. Andy here with etrailer. Let's take a quick look at the Zerostart Custom-Fit Frost-Plug Style Engine Block Heater. Now this is custom designed for many vehicles, so before you purchase this, make sure you go through our Vehicle Fit Guide here at etrailer. Insert the year, make and model of your vehicle, and answer any other questions that it might have for you. And then our Fit Guide will confirm if this will work for you or if we have something comparable that will work for you.
So again, this is an engine block heater that's designed to make those cold weather starts much easier on you and your vehicle. Instead of cranking over a freezing engine, this is going to gently prewarm the coolant in your engine, so it's gonna already be warm when you turn that key. That means it's gonna start faster and more reliably, even in really cold temperatures. So warming the engine ahead of time is also gonna help protect it. Those cold dry starts are gonna put extra strain and wear on those internal engine parts, and this heater is going to reduce that stress, which can help extend engine life over time.
This is going to install directly into the engine block with the exact installation position depending on your particular vehicle. The bore diameter is 28 millimeters, so that's going to ensure a proper, secure fit. In terms of performance, this is going to give you 400 watts of consistent heating power on a standard 120-volt outlet. So that's gonna be plenty to keep the coolant warm without being excessive. And it does come with this durable five-foot silicone power cord, that's built to handle harsh conditions.
And this is removable, that's why I did not have this connected. But what's nice about having a removable cord here is this is gonna make storage easier, but more importantly, in my opinion, if for some reason this cord gets damaged, you're gonna be able to replace the cord, you're not gonna have to replace the entire heater, which is great. One other thing I like about many of Zerostart's cords is that they will include this cap to cover up the three-prong connector there when it's not in use. So I do like that additional touch to keep that clean. But overall, this is gonna be a practical upgrade if you deal with cold winters and you want easier starts, less engine wear, and a setup that's designed to work specifically with your particular vehicle and engine.
If you happen to have any other questions, whether it's about this or anything else that we have here at etrailer, don't hesitate to reach out. We wanna make sure that you're getting exactly what you need. Well, again, my name is Andy. Thank you for joining me.
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